Dec 20, 20234 min read

Summer 2022 Report

The Impact of Music is Spreading!

The Heart for Music Program has been described by care home staff as "amazing", "a huge impact", "an incredible donation", and "one of the best recreation intervention tools." Since our launch in 2018, 88 Care Homes across BC have received a donation, currently bringing music to 1500+ seniors in need! This summer we hosted 8 live music events in Fraser Valley Care homes, entertaining seniors and staff with lively music experiences.

Heart for Music Expansion

As the music program expands, so has our staff and vision! The need for music in care homes extends throughout Canada, and our vision for the future includes offering this donation across the provinces. Our goal is to spread community awareness of the need this program fills in seniors' lives

"Our residents have been enjoying the variety of music available and are able to pick their favourite songs which bring back many memories for them. There is lots of singing, clapping, and dancing during the program. Sound from the speaker is excellent!"

~ Fir Park Village

Music is Needed Country-Wide

Isolation, loneliness, the inability to communicate, and a lack of resources effect seniors in care homes throughout Canada. We work with hard-working care home staff to make music accessible to their residents, and we are already beginning this process in Alberta with our first donation sent last month! Multiple facilities in Alberta and Saskatchewan are working with us to launch the Heart for Music program in their provinces!

Our vintage, pink firetruck is enjoyed by the staff of George Derby at our summer 2022 event!

Igniting Connection and Community

Three Links Care Centre shares how "this program has really changed the lives of some of our residents and it’s really a great tool to reach out to other residents who hardly participates in any group programs."

Re-connecting parent to child, care-worker to resident, friend to friend, the Heart for Music program brings people together. Carefully crafted playlists and prepared music equipment breaks the pattern of isolation in those who engage less in group activities.

"We continue to use the music for one to ones and small groups. It continues to be a part of what we do on a regular basis. It is really helpful for our volunteers as well who are unsure of how to approach a resident and start a conversation. Music helps them fill that gap! "

~ Carelife Fleetwood

~ At Heart for Music we provide one-on-one consultation for care staff during the implementation stage of the donation. Spotify account set-up, tablet set-up, and playlist assistance is provided virtually, allowing for a smooth program start. We are grateful to all the hard working recreation and care staff who make this possible!~

A Summer of Live Music

This summer we hosted 8 Live Music Events at care homes in the lower mainland! With cold treats and drinks in their hands, residents and care staff enjoyed listening and signing along to some of their favourite music by local musicians. Although most Canadians are experiencing life returning normal, the most at-risk populations still live with the reality of protections that limit live experiences. We support care staff that work hard to provide safe, fun events for their residents!

Yearly Themed Event at George Derby

The incredible team at George Derby partners with Rick's Heart Foundation to bring a themed event to their residents each summer. This years' "Classic Hollywood" theme and Jazzy performance was a hit for seniors and staff alike!

UBC Partnership: Understanding How Music Can Change the Brain

Rick’s Heart Foundation has partnered with UBC, providing financial support for their BC Brain Wellness Program. With this donation, the BC Brain Wellness Program is launching a new research project: Understanding How Music Can Change the Brain.This project will study the beneficial impact music can have on the brain and will be led by BWP and UBC Neuroscience PhD student, Mikey Jose.

The Language that Reaches Past Words

Studies by Mayo Clinic, NCBI, and multiple other institutions demonstrate the immediate benefit of music, especially for those living with Dementia. 87% of seniors in Canadian long-term care live with some form of cognitive impairment. Music reaches past the boundaries of the brain, in many cases igniting lost memories, sing-alongs, and fond feelings in the recipient.

"Our residents share with staff about all the memories it brings back such as going to dances and family events. Some residents have even shed tears while participating in the program as they are able to remember lost memories from the past thanks to the music, and this really helps highlight to us how important music is to everyone-it is a great program!"

~ Fir Park Village

Heart For Music Impact:

88 BC Facilities

32 Live Music Events

1600+ seniors

26335 hours of music & counting

75 Spotify Accounts

370 Tablets

435 Headsets

205 Speakers

"We are so happy to have a Spotify subscription - we have group programs at least once a week when we use your playlists. We have also used the ethnic playlists and find them to be perfect for our residents - their era of music and their genre."

~ Village by the Station

Team Member Spotlight

Saying good bye to Angela, our summer student and event coordinator, who made our live events possible this year! Angela juggled multiple jobs this summer, and was an incredible part of our team as we brought music to seniors throughout the Lower Mainland. Introducing Chantelle, our Heart for Music Coordinator who will be spearheading our expansion across Canada. Chantelle has already added so much to our team, bringing with her years of experience in the non-profit workplace, and spreading positivity to everyone she talks to!

"During the last few months we have had some residents who were using the music program pass away, the music being one the last things which gave them the joy.

(One resident), who was a music instructor in China, was able to listen to his favorite playlist until his last day. He would listen to his playlist every day for 10 hours each day. His family was so thankful that he could have the music and specified playlist to help him, they chose to use the playlist during his memorial."

~ Finnish Home